Type of site Internet Forum Created by Discuss.com.hk Limited | Owner Discuss.com.hk Limited | |
Available in Traditional Chinese, Cantonese Slogan(s) 一個香港只得一個香港討論區 (The one and only forum of Hong Kong) Website | ||
The Hong Kong Discuss Forum (Chinese: 香港討論區,Referred to DISCUSS) is a major Internet forum based in Hong Kong. As of January 1, 2016, it is rated the 9th most frequently visited website in Hong Kong.
Contents
- 2003 Foundation
- 2004 Established Discusscomhk
- Blockade by PRC Government
- Blockade by Primary secondary
- Partnership with Uwants Forum
- Member Level
- Administration Level
- Simplified Chinese Translation
- Income
- Users
- References
With the slogan "DISCUSS, Hong Kong No.1" (香討，香港No.1), meaning claiming to be "champion" in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Discuss Forum is criticized by members of Hong Kong Golden Forum.
2003 Foundation
Hong Kong Discuss Forum was founded on February 17, 2003. It was an Internet Forum adopted phpbb2.06 forum system. Member registration began on February 22, 2003.
On July 31, 2003, the 「馬照跑、波照踢(Horse racing and soccer)」section was added as soccer gambling became legal. There were not many forums in Hong Kong, and the addition of a new section attracted more people to come to the forum. On January 1, 2004, the "Fashion" section was added to the forum.
On 14 October 2003, the site of the forum was moved to www.discuss.com.hk, and the name of the forum was changed to "Hong Kong Discuss Forum".
2004 Established Discuss.com.hk
On 2 February 2004, www.discuss.com.hk was made the permanent domain. In March 2004, the forum was moved to a more stable server. A newer system, Discuz!3.0, was also adopted, in attempt to obtain reliable technical support.
Blockade by PRC Government
Since 2007, PRC Government has blocked Hong Kong Discuss Forum, preventing members in PRC to visit to the website. Users there have to browse by proxy on CHINA.
Blockade by Primary & secondary
Hong Kong Discuss Forum violates the rules of some schools, because it contains obscene, gambling, illegal and other objectionable material.
"Viewing pornography....on WIT computers is strictly prohibited." by Computer Rooms Rules and Regulations on Waterford Institute of Technology.
Partnership with Uwants Forum
In December 2007, Hong Kong Discuss Forum and Uwants Forum began a partnership with each other.
Member Level
Administration Level
Simplified Chinese Translation
On February 20, Traditional Chinese to Simplified Chinese Translator had been installed to the forum. Users can translate posts by a click, but the translation are not always correct. There are some characters that did not get translated, also there are some words has mistaken. This can be found at any posts in the forum.
Income
Hong Kong Discuss Forum's income mainly comes from advertisement. Its main clients include Systematic Computer Training Centre, Dao Heng, 2TheMax, Go2Tutor.com, Orbis, Dragon Centre, Modern education etc.
Users
According to Alexa Internet, Hong Kong Discuss Forum ranks as the fourth most visited website in Hong Kong, and the eighth most visited website in neighbouring Macau. Additionally, it is also within the top 100 most visited website globally.
The forum claims to be politically neutral and allow free speech. However, right of users will be easily & readily prohibited, down-graded and banded from posing or replying any messages if the user posts anti-communist messages, messages against Hong Kong government's public policies, or against any of the post-communist or communist peripheral organizations in Hong Kong. Many post-communist messages are placed at the default top of columns by the administrators which are intentionally twisting or misinterpreting history or news to make them favorable to the PRC communists.
Recent members' responses was that the forum was flooded with messages from the "Fifty cents Gangs" (五毛黨, the nickname of the peripheral organization of PRC communist party specially trained to manipulate communication over the Net. They are officially named "Internet Modulators" (網絡評論員) and gains that nickname on the rumor that they can earn 50 cents on every post they send.) who post massive amount of messages described above. Latest news reveals and suspects that members of iProA, a communist peripheral organizations in Hong Kong, is organizing all the above activities in Hong Kong. They are funded to distribute the said messages in the cyber space, online forums, social media, YouTube, etc., in order to "brain-washing" the people of Hong Kong. Moreover, Hong Kong governments' officials are suspected to be funding this organization indirectly by employing their services or unfairly contracting government services to the organization.